Continuous mining apparatus of the pivoted cutter bar type



Dec. 31, 1957 I s. LEVEN l 2,818,243

CONTINUOUS MINING APPARATUS OF lTHE PIVOTED CUTTER BAR TYPE lowafy.

S. LEVEN Dec. 31, 1957 CONTINUOUS MINING APPARATUS oF THE PIvoTED CUTTER BAR TYPE lFiled Aug. e. 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 5a maeZL 922622.

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s. LEVEN 2,818,243 .CONTINUOUS MINING APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED CUTTER BAR TYPE Dec. 31', 1957 Dec. 31, 1957 s. LEVEN 2,818,243

CONTINUOUS MINING APPARTUS OF' THE PIVOTED CUTTER BAR TYPE` Filled Aug. e, 1949 'r sheets-sheet 4 I 2262230 29: SazzzaeZ Leven;-

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Dec. 31, 1957A S. LEVEN CONTINUOUS MINING APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED CUTTER .BAR TYPE Filed Aug. 6, 1949 7 Sheets-Shee'tl "Immun" a-zzzaeZL even Dec. 31, 1957 s. LEVEN 2,818,243

CONTINUOUS MINING APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED CUTTER BAR TYPE Filed Aug. s, 1949 7 sheets-sheet e Dec. 31, 1957 s. LEVEN 2,818,243

CONTINUOUS MIN-ING APPARATUS oP THE PIvoTED CUTTER BAR TYPE Filed Aug. 6, 1949 7 Sheets-SheerI '7 y camae? Leven.

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United States CNTVINUUS MINING APPARATUS OF THE PIVOTED CUTTER BAR TYPE Samuel Leven, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 6, 1949, Serial No. 109,006

12 Claims. (Cl. 2.62-29) as that disclosed in the copending application to Harold F. Silver, Serial No. 11,688, led February 27, 1948, owned by applicants assignee, now matured into Patent No. 2,798,711, granted July 9, 1957, a disintegrating head for attacking and dislodging coal or other mineral from a solid seam or vein, is pivotally mounted on a mobile f base for horizontal swinging movement into different laterally adjusted positions, and is guided in any of'v its adjusted positions for horizontal rectilinear movement in a radial direction with respect to the swivel axis toward and from the working face of the seam or vein. attacking and disintegrating head, Ias is fully disclosed in the application above referred to, includes a vertically swingable bar 'structure providing guideways along Vwhich a series of parallel disintegrating chains are guided for circulation in Vertical orbital paths, and these chains carry disintegrating instruments which dig into and rip or tear out the coal or other mineral as the attacking and disintegrating head is fed in a suitable manner with respect to the face of the seam or vein. Conveying means is mounted on the base and extends forwardly and downwardly beneath the disintegrating head and serves to receive the disintegrated material discharged from the to'p runs of the disintegrating chains and to convey the material rearwardly of the apparatus to a suitable point'of delivery, and associated with the forward end of the conveying means are door clean-up devices for gathering up any loose material which has fallen to the mine oor and for directing the material so gathered toward the receiving end of the conveying means. The disintegrating head may be fed rectilinearly forwardly to sump its outer portion within the coal or other mineral, may be swung upwardly in vertical planes to rip or tear out the coal or other mineral from the working face and may be retracted rectilinearly from the face at the roof level thereby to remove a relatively wide vertical segment of material from thel working face. By adjusting the disintegrating head horizontally about its swivel relative to the base it may be located in diierent angular positions and in each position of adjustment the head may be sumped, swung upwardly and withdrawn to dislodge in succession adjacent segments of material across the entire width of the `face. The present invention contemplates improvements over such known type of continuous mining apparatus in that the structure of the apparatus and its manner of operation are improved and modified so that the coal or other mineral may be dislodged from a solid seam or vein in an extremely advantageous and eicient manner, greatly expediting the mining process.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus for attacking and disntegrating coal or other mineral from'the solid and atent O for loading the dislodged material las mining progresses. A further object is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus having improved conveying means' for receiving the disintegrating material and for conveying the material rearwardly of the apparatus to a convenient point of delivery. Another object isto provide an irnproved gathering mechanism for gathering any loose material which has fallen to the mine iloor and for directing the material sol gathered onto the conveying means. Yet another object is to provide improved driving means for the disintegrating head of a continuous mining apparatus. A still further object is to provide an improved oor clean-up means embodying an auxiliary conveyor which is arranged in a novel manner for receiving the material gathered'from the floor and for conveying the material to the conveying means of the apparatus. Yet another-object is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus having a disintegrating. head mountedfto mov'erectilinearly back and forth relative to the base and wherein thev driving motors for the disintegrating head are mounted to move rectilinearly with the disintegrating head with respect to the base. A stilllfurther object is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus wherein the driving motors for the disintegrating head are mounted to swing in vertical planes withy the head during thedisintegrating operation. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will,.how ever, hereinafter, more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes of illustration two forms which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and la, taken together, constitute a plan view of one illustrative form of the improved continuous mining' apparatus.

Figs. 2y and 2a, taken together, constitute a -side elevational view of the mining apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and la. v t

Fig. 3 is anenlarged view in central longitudinal vertical section taken` substantially on line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and la.

Fig. 4 is anenlarged cross sectional view taken stantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 5a, taken together, constitute a plan view subl- "o'f a modified form of continuous mining apparatus.

Figs. 6 and 6a, taken together, constitute a side ele'- vational view of the mining apparatus shown in Figs. 5 and 5a.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional View taken online 8 8 of Fig; 5.

In both illustrative embodiments of the invention the improved continuous mining apparatus is of the same general type as that disclosed in the Harold F. Silver application as mentioned above. The mining apparatus disclosed herein may also be of the type generally similar to that disclosed in copending applications to John D. Russell, Serial No. 102,995 and John R. Sibley, Serial No. 102,996, both filed on July 5, 1949, likewise owned by applicants assignee, now matured into Patents Nos. 2,798,713 and 2,798,714, granted July 9, 1957. p

In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figsfl to' 4 inclusive the improved mining apparatus generally comi prises a mobile base 1 having guided thereon for 'horil zontal rectilinear movement lengthwise of said base,` a sliding frame 2 which carries on its forward portiona horizontal turntable 3 rotatable about a vertical axis'at 4 (Fig. 1). Pivotally mounted at 5 on the turntable on a horizontal transverse axis is an attacking and disinteygrating or so-called digging head generally designated 61.

v'bar or frame structure 7 extending in advance of the base and which has guidedA thereon for movement in parallel Vertical orbits a series of endless disintegrating chains 8 which carry disintegrating instruments 9. Mounted at the opposite sides of the bar structure 7 are motors 10, 10 which are operatively connected to the disintegrating chains S for driving the latter. Guided for circulation relative to the base and arranged centrally lengthwise thereof on the sliding frame 2 is an endless conveyor 11 whlch extends forwardly and downwardly in advance of the base beneath the disintegrating head for receiving the dislntegrated material discharged from the top runs of the disintegrating chains. This conveyor extends rearwardly lengthwise of the apparatus and has a laterally flexible, vertically tiltable rear discharge end 12. Gatherlng or floor clean-up devices 13, 13 are mounted at the front end of the conveyor and serve to clean-up any loose material which has fallen to the mine floor during the dislodging operation and to move the loose material inwardly toward the receiving end of the conveyor. Fluid cylinders 14, 14 arranged transversely of the sliding frame rearwardly of the turntable are operatively connected through exible chain sections l with the turntable for rotating the latter. Fluid cylinders 16 (one of which is shown in Fig. 3) extending lengthwise of the base are operatively connected to the sliding frame 2 for sliding the latter back and forth along its guideways relative to the base. Fluid cylinders 17 on the turntable are operatively connected to the bar structure 7 of the disintegrating head for swinging the latter in vertical planes about its pivot 5. The base is desirably of the crawler type and has endless crawler treads 18 driven by individual motors 19, 19 mounted on the base. The conveyor 11 and the front gathering devices 13 are driven by motors 20, 20 mounted at the rearward portion of the conveyor frame. A motor 21 mounted at one side of the base drives pumping means 22 for supplying Huid under pressure. desirahly oil. to the various fluid actuated devices of the apparatus. and a conventional control valve mechanism 23 serves to control the How of uid under pressure to such hydraulically operated devices.

The mobile base 1 has a horizontal frame 25 secured to side frames 26- 26 about which the endless crawler treads 18 are guided for circulation. The base frame has longitudinal guideways 27 arranged at the inner sides of the tread frames. as shown in Fig. 4, and the sliding frame 2 has lateral guides 28 received in the guideways 27. The sliding frame has on its forward portion a horizontal circular flange 29 which supports bearings on which an annular portion 30 of the turntable is rotatably mounted. A split retaining ring 31 is secured as by screws to the annular portion 30 for securing the turntable in position on its bearing mounting. Carried by the turntable are upstanding side-frames 32, 32 by which'the disintegrating head 6 is pivotally supported. Carried by these side frames are gear housings 34, andthe motors drive shafts 35 which extend rearwardly lengthwise of the bar structure 7 and are enclosed within tubular housings 36 suitably secured to the gear housings and the rear motor heads. Fixed to the rear ends of the shafts 35 are spur gears 37 meshing with spur gears 38 arranged within the gear housings. The gears 38 are secured to longitudinal shafts 39 suitably journaled within the gear housings and in turn secured to these shafts are worms 40 meshing with worm wheels 41 ralso arranged within the gear housings. These worm wheels are xed to transverse shafts suitably journaled in the gear housings and these shafts in turn drive spur gears 40' meshing with spur gears 41' (Fig. 4) keyed to the opposite ends of a transversely extending, horizontal shaft 42 arranged coaxial with the pivot 5 for the disintegrating head. This shaft is suitably journaled in bearings 43 supported within bearing brackets 44 secured to the inner sides of the upstanding side frames 32 as shown lin Fig. 4. Splined to the shaft 42 are chain sprockets 45 which engage and drive the endless disintegrating chains 8. Thus when the motors 10 are running the disintegrating chains may be rapidly circulated in their orbits through the spur and worm gearings with their top runs moving rearwardly along the top of the bar structure 7. The fluid cylinders 17 are pivotally mounted at 46 on brackets 47 secured to the outer sides of the side frames 32 and these cylinders contain reciprocable pistons 48 pivotally connected by links 49 to downwardly and rearwardly projecting arms 50 secured to the sides of the bar structure 7. It will thus be seen that when luid under pressure is supplied to the rear ends of the cylinders 17 the disintegrating head 6 may be swung upwardly about its pivot and when the cylinders are connected to exhaust the head may swing downwardly. When fluid is trapped in the cylinders the head may be held in adjusted position.

The base frame and the sliding frame are centrally cut away as shown in Fig. 4 so that a conveyor frame 52 which is mounted on the sliding frame 2 may extend forwardly and downwardly in advance of the base as shown in Fig. 3, and the conveyor frame has upwardly and outwardly flared sides 53 providing a trough-like structure beneath the rear end of the disintegrating head so that the disintegrated material dislodged by the disintegrating chains may be discharged onto the conveyor. The conveyor 11 comprises an endless center chain 54 to which flightsor cross bars 55 are secured which move the material along a bottom plate 56 in a well known manner. The conveyor chain at its forward portion passes around a chain sprocket 57 suitably secured to a transverse shaft 58 which is suitably journaled within the sides of the forward portion of the conveyor frame. The conveyor frame on the sliding frame 2 extends upwardly and rearwardly above the base and its rearward portion 59 is pivoted at 60 to swing in a vertical direction. A usual fluid cylinder and piston device 61 is pivotally mounted between the rear end of the sliding frame 2 and the tiltable conveyor frame portion 59 (Fig. 3) for tilting the latter thereby to vary the elevation on the rear discharge end of the conveyor. This tiltable conveyor frame and its pivotal mounting for permitting lateral swing of the rearward portion of the conveyor are fully disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications `above referred to.

The fluid cylinders 16 are arranged in parallelism longitudinally at opposite sides of the base frame and contain reciprocable piston-s 63 having forwardly projecting piston rods 64 connected to the rearward portion of the sliding frame 2. Thus when fluid under pressure is supplied to the rear ends of these cylinders the pistons may be moved forwardly to slide the frame 2 together with the disintegrating head and the conveyor in a forward direction along its guideways relative to the base, and uid may be trapped in these cylinders to hold the sliding frame in adjusted position. When the rear ends of the cylinders are connected to exhaust and fluid is supplied to the front ends of the cylinders the pistons may be moved rearwardly to retract the sliding frame together with the disintegrating head and the conveyor.

The gathering devices 13 comprise scrolls or conveyor screws 66 arranged at the sides of the front receiving end of the conveyor and movable back and forth therewith relative to the base, and the conveyor screws are mounted on shafts 67 which are suitably driven by the front conveyor shaft 58. The screws may be pivoted to swing forwardly and rearwardly as fully disclosed in the above mentioned Silver application. The tread driving motors 19 may be individually controlled in a manner likewise fully disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications so that the treads may be driven in unison at the same speed to propel the apparatus in a straight path, and by varying the speed of either motor the treads may be suitably driven to effect steering of the apparatus.

When the apparatus assumes its working position aljacent to the face of the coal seam or mine vein the motors staglia 10 may be operated to effect circulation of the disintegrating chains 8 about the margin of the bar structure 7 of the disintegrating head 6, and the`swing cylinders 14 may be operated to rotate the turntable 3 relative to the sliding frame and the conveyor to locate the disintegrating head at one side of the mine passageway or entry. Fluid may then be vented from the swing cylinders 17 to cause the disintegrating head to swingdownwardlyy about its pivot to bring its outer end near the level of the mine oor and iiuid may then be trapped in the swing cylinders to hold the disintegrating head in position. Fluid under pressure may then be supplied to the feed cylinders 16 to slide the frame 2 forwardly along its guideways relative to the base lto sump the outer portion of the disintegrating chains into the coal or other mineral. When the chains of the head have been sumped into the coal or other mineral lluid may be trapped in the cylinders 16 to lock the sliding frame in adjusted position, and fluid under pressure may be supplied to the swing cylinders 17 to elect upward swinging of the head about its pivot to cause the disintegrating chains to tear out and disintegrate the coal or other mineral from the solid between the top of the head and the mine roof. During upward swinging movement of the head the swing cylinders apply a rapid and powerful upward thrust to thel disintegrating chains so that the coal or other mineral is broken or torn loose toward the free face of the seam or vein in relatively large fragments. Upon completion of the upward swinging operation fluid may be trapped in the cylinders 17 and uid under pressure may be supplied to the feed cylinders 16 to effect withdrawing movement of the head to withdraw the outer portions on the disintegrating chains from the seam or vein. During the sumping7 swinging and withdrawing operations the coal or other mineral torn loose by the disintegrating instruments is conveyed rearwardly by the top runs of the chains to discharge the disintegrated material into the hopper provided by the flared sides 53 of the conveyor and onto the conveyor 11 by which the disintegrated material is conveyed rearwardly of the apparatus to a suitable point of delivery. During the disintegrating operation any loose material which has been dropped to the mine floor may be cleaned up by the scrolls 66 of the gathering devices 13 and directed toward the front receiving end of the conveyor'. The gathering devices are fed forwardly with the sliding frame Z'relative to the tractor base as the disintegrating head is advanced toward the working face. The disintegrating head by suitable operation of the swing cylinders 14 may be swung in a horizontal direction about its swivel axis on the base relative to the sliding frame and the conveyor to locate the same in different radial positions so that a series of adjacent vertical segments of coal or other mineral may be suitably dislodged in succession from the working face until the coal or other mineral across the entire width of the face has been removed and loaded out. During the sumping, swinging and withdrawing operations of the disintegrating head, dust allaying liuid may be sprayed on the working face in the zone of action of the disintegrating chains in the manner disclosed in the applications above referred to so that objectionable and hazardous dust is reduced to a minimum.

Now referring to the modified construction shown inf Figs. to 8 inclusive it will be observed that the general characteristics of the apparatus are similar to those of the embodiment above described. The base, sliding frame, turntable, the disintegrating head and its mounting, the conveying means, the several motors, the pumping means and the fluid actuated devices are all similar to tho-se previously described. In this illustrative construction, however, the motors which drive the endless disinte grating chains are rigidly mounted at the outer sides of the upstanding side frames 32 on the turntable to turn horizontally with the latter relative to the sliding frame Z, and the disintegrating head is swingable in vertical planes relative to the motors. The motor shafts are connected through conventionalpre-'loaded'slip' clutches 70 to co axilsharts 71,"a`r`1d the latter shafts have spurgears 72 fixed to their rear ends. The gears 7 2 are enclosed within housings 73rsecur`ed`to the motor-'frames and mesh with intermediate spur gears 7,4 which 'in turn mesh, with'and drive spur gear 75 secured to longitudinal shafts 76. Secured to the shafts 76 are worms 77 meshing with worm wheels`78 secured to the opposite ends ofthe transverse shaft 42 to which the chain drive sprockets 45 are splined, as shown in Fig. 7. y

In this modied construction the' gathering devices 13 which gather any loose material which has fallen to the mine lloor move the material so gathered onto the front receiving end of anauxiliary conveyor 850.' This conveyor has its forward portion disposed in advance of the base and is curved( upwardly and laterally toward one side of the base and has its frame 81 supported on one of the tread frames as shown in Fig. 7. The auxiliary conveyor extends horizontally rearwardly along one side ofthe Ibase beneath one of the chain driving motors 10 and as shown invFig. 5a the rearward portion of the conveyor is curved rearwardly and `inwardly so that its rear discharge end overlies the main conveyor 12' on the sliding frame 2 whereby the material is discharged from the auxiliary conveyor onto the main conveyor at a point rearwardly of the kturntable irrespective of the rectilinear position ofthe main conveyor relative to the auxiliary conveyor. This auxiliary conveyor comprises an endless center chain 82 to which'flights or cross bars 83 are secured for moving the material along a bottom plate 84. A motor 8S is mounted at one side of the rearward portion of the conveyor frame v and is operatively connected through a conventional speed reducer 86 to the conveyor chain 82 for drivingA the conveyor. In this instance,`the front receiving end ofthe main conveyor 12 terminates rearwardly of the front end of the base and extends forwardly and downwardly into a hopper 87 herein located coaxially withthe turntable as shown in Fig. 7 and the conveyor chain S4 is guided by a front idler sprocket 88 mounted at the bottom of the hopper on a horizontal shaft 89 herein suitably journaled within the sides of the conveyor frame at the sides of the hopper in the manner shown. The disintegrating chains of the head discharge the disintegrated material into this hopper and the main conveyor 12 removes the material` from the hopper and conveys it rearwardly of the apparatus to a suitable point of delivery. The scrolls 66' of the gathering devices are driven by the chain 82 of the auxiliary conveyor. Fluid cylinders 17 are pivotally mounted at 90 on brackets 91 secured to the turntable frame and contain reciprocable pistons 92 having their piston rods 93 pivotally connected to brackets 94 secured to the sides of the bar structure of the disintegrating head. The gathering scrolls and the auxiliary conveyor are fed forwardly with the tractor base as the apparatus is advanced toward the working face. Thus the front end of the main conveyor 12 terminates within the hopper at the open center of the turntable and the auxiliary conveyor receives the material gathered from the mine iloor and convey-s the material laterally around one side of the base and discharges the material rearwardly of the turntable onto the main conveyor 12. Since the manner of operation of the mining apparatus of the modiied embodiment is similar to that described above in connection with the preferred embodiment further description of the mode of operation thereof is herein unnecessary.

As a result of this invention an improved continuous mining apparatus is provided whereby solid coal or other mineral may be rapidly and efliciently dislodged from a coal seam or mine vein thereby greatly expediting the mining process. By mounting the driving motors for the chains of the disintegrating head on the sliding frame which carries the head and, as in the preferred embodiment, by mounting these motors to swing in vertical planes with the disintegrating head the drive for the disintegrating chains is improved and simplified. The novel arrangement of the auxiliary conveyor which is associated with the floor cleanup devices enables the provision of an extremely low and compact structure. The mounting of the turntable and the main conveyor on the sliding frame which is guided for rectilinear movement lengthwise of the base further simpliiies the structure and lends to increased compactness. These and other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be further modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a continuous mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a horizontal frame, means on said base for guiding said frame for horizontal rectilinear movement relative to said base lengthwise of the latter, a turntable carried by said frame and movable rectilinearly therewith relative to said base, a disintegrating head symmetrically arranged on said turntable and operative to dislodge mineral from a solid mine vein, said head including a bar structure mounted on said turntable to move with the latter relative to said base and pivoted to swing in vertical planes relative thereto and a series of endless disintegrating instruments guided on said bar structure for circulation in parallel vertical orbits, the longitudinal median line of said head intersecting a vertical line coincident with the turntable axis, means for rotating said turntable to locate said disintegrating head in different angular positions about the turntable axis with respect to said horizontal frame at either side of the longitudinal axis of the latter, means for moving said horizontal frame rectilinearly relative to said base to effect sumping of said disintegrating head into the solid mine vein irrespective of the angular position of said head about the turntable axis, said movable frame carrying a hopperlike portion arranged to receive the material disintegrated by and discharged from said disintegrating head, said hopper moving rectilinearly with said frame relative to said base, and conveying means on said movable frame and extending within said hopperlike portion and arranged to remove the disintegrated material in said hopperlike portion from the latter and to convey the same rearwardly of the apparatus, said head turnable with said turntable into diiferent angular position-s relative to said movable frame and said conveying means.

2. A continuous mining apparatus as set forth in claim l wherein means is provided for driving said endless disintegrating instruments in their orbits relative to said bar structure including a motor carried by and movable with said swingable bar structure and operative driving connections between said motor and said disintegrating instruments.

3. A continuous mining apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for driving said disintegrating instruments includes motors carried by said bar structure at its opposite sides to swin'J therewith, and means for operatively connecting said motors to said disintegrating instruments.

4. A continuous mining apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said motor is mounted on .said bar structure in advance of the pivot ot said bar structure.

5. In a continuous mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a trarne, means on said base planes, conveying means supported by said base and extending forwardly and downwardly beneath said disintegrating head in a position to receive the disintegrated material discharged from said head, floor clean-up devices arranged at the iloor level in advance of said base, means for rotating said turntable to turn said disintegrating head horizontally relative to said conveying means and said oor clean-up devices, and an auxiliary conveyor carried by said base at one side thereof laterally of said turntable and relative to which said movable frame is rectilinearly movable, said conveyor arranged to receive the material gathered by said clean-up devices, and operative to convey the material rearwardly along one side of said base and to discharge the material onto said conveying means at a point located rearwardly of said turntable.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said conveying means is carried by said rectilinearly movable frame.

7. In a continuous mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a movable frame, means on said base for guiding said frame for horizontal rectilinear movement relative to said base lengthwise of the latter, a horizontal turntable on said movable frame, a disintegrating head operative to dislodge mineral from a solid mine vein and pivotally mounted on said turntable to swing in vertical planes, conveying means supported by said base and extending forwardly and downwardly beneath said disintegrating head and arranged to receive the disintegrated material discharged from said head, floor clean-up devices arranged at the oor level in advance of said base, said disintegrating .head turnable horizontally with said turntable relative to said conveying means and said oor clean-up devices, and an auxiliary conveyor carried by said base at one lside thereof laterally of said turntable and relative to which said movable frame is rectilinearly movable, said conveyor arranged to receive the material gathered by said clean-up devices and operative to convey the material rearwardly along one side of said base and to discharge the material onto said conveying means at a point located rearwardly of said turntable, said auxiliary conveyor having a rearwardly and upwardly curved forward portion in advance of said base, a rearwardly extending horizontal intermediate portion arranged at one side of said base, and an inwardly and rearwardly curved rearward portion having its discharge end overlying said conveying means.

8. The combination as set'forth in claim 7 wherein said conveying means is carried by said rectilinearly movable frame and extends forwardly and downwardly with respect to said frame.

9. In a continuous mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a movable frame, means on said base for guiding said frame for horizontal rectilinear movement relative to said base lengthwise of the latter, an open-centered horizontal turntable carried by said movable trarne, a disintegrating head symmetrically arranged on said turntable and operative to dislodge mineral from a solid mine vein, said head including a bar structure pivotally mounted on said turntable above saidbase and a series of disintegrating instruments guided on said bar structure for circulation in` parallel vertical orbits, the longitudinal median line of said head intersecting a vertical line coincident with the turntable axis, a hopper on said movable frame beneath the rearward portion of said disintegrating head within the open center of said turntable and arranged to receive the disintegrated material discharged from said orbitally movable disintegrating instruments, means for rotating said turntable to locate said disintegrating head into different angular positions about the turntable axis with respect to said guiding means at either side of the longitudinal axis of the latter, and conveying means on said movable -frame for moving material in said hopper rearwardly to discharge, said conveying means having its 9 front receiving end extending beneath the rear portion of said head downwardly into said hopper.

10. A continuous mining apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein means is provided for driving said disintegrating instruments in their orbits relative to said bar structure including a motor carried by and movable with said bar structure and operative driving connections between said motor and said disintegrating instruments.

11. A continuous mining apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for driving said disintegrating instruments includes motors carried by said bar structure at its opposite sides to swing therewith, and means for operatively connecting said motors to said disintegrating instruments.

12. In a continuous mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a movable frame, means on said base for guiding said frame for horizontal rectilinear movement relative to said base lengthwise of the latter, an open-centered horizontal turntable carried by said movable frame, a disintegrating head operative to dislodge mineral from a solid mine vein including a bar structure pivotally mounted on said turntable above said base and a series of disintegrating instruments guided on said bar structure for circulation in parallel vertical orbits, a hopper on said sliding frame beneath the rearward portion of said disintegrating head within the open center of said turntable and arranged to receive the disintegrated material discharged from said horizontally movable disintegrating instruments, conveying means on said movable frame for conveying material from said hopper rearwardly to dis charge and having its front receiving end extending beneath the rear end of said head downwardly into said hopper, floor clean-up devices disposed at the oor level in advance of said base, and an auxiliary conveyor for receiving the material gathered from the oor by said clean-up devices and extending at one side of the base laterally of Said turntable and4 hopper, said conveyor arranged to convey the material along one side of said base and to discharge the material onto said conveying means rearwardly of said hopper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,301 Jackson July 16, 1907 1,549,699 Wilson Aug. 11, 1925 1,549,700 Wilson Aug. 11, 1925 1,570,829 Forsyth Ian. 26, 1926 1,588,563 Wilson June 15, 1926 1,617,941 Crawford Feb. 15, 1927 2,024,458 Kraft Dec. 17, 1935 2,261,161 Joy Nov. 4, 1941 2,269,781 Osgood Jan. 13, 1942 2,329,875 Cartlidge Sept. 21, 1943 2,388,385 Cartlidge Nov. 6, 1945 

